Licence loss, fines for companies hosting migrants in shoddy housing
Victorian labour hire companies that house migrant workers in substandard accommodation will risk losing their licence under changes aimed at protecting vulnerable workers.
The Victorian Labour Hire Authority has implemented stricter regulations for businesses providing housing to their workers, particularly in industries like horticulture and meat processing where worker exploitation is prevalent. Non-compliant firms could lose their licences and face fines exceeding $160,000. This crackdown follows instances where migrant workers were housed in unsanitary conditions, with the authority finding 22 workers living in unsanitary environments in Gippsland in December 2025.
These conditions included sewage pooling and black mould. Erin Barlow, the authority's director of intelligence, compliance, and enforcement, emphasized that these changes aim to protect vulnerable workers who fear losing both their job and housing if they complain. The new conditions will initially apply to new licences in specific industries and will be extended to existing licences in the coming months.
While migrant advocacy groups welcome the stricter enforcement, they hope similar measures will be adopted in other states to ensure decent living conditions for migrant workers.
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